Guiding means for wheeled vehicles.



M. J. TODP.

GUIDING MEANS FOR WHEBLED VEHICLES.

APPLIUATION FILED Amma, 191s.

LQT. Patented May 12, 1914 M. J. TODD. GUlDING MEANS FOR WHEELED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23,19\3.

.Patented May 12, 1914.

2 SIEBTS-SHEET 2.

@@hml l A @Hornm @www eooe o Uli'l'fllll) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARQUIS J'. TODD, O'F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BUFFALO PITTS COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GUIDING MEANS FOR WHEELED VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

3 mienten iii-1y 1e, ieri.

Application filed April 23. 1913, Serial No. 763.137.

To uZ/ fri/ioni it wim/ mirc/'n lle it known that l. btintgrris J. Toon, ot iuii'alo. in the county ot VErie and State ol New York, have invented certain new and nsetul linprovenicnt's in Guiding;- Means 'tor lYhecled Vehicles; and l do herebyr declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable othersl skilled in the art to which it appertains to nialie and use the saine:

The primariv object o'l this invention i-f to 'provide siniple and highly etlicient improved ineans toi' connecting the pivoted axles ot wheeled vehicles to insure the turning,r ot the axles in opposite direction when the vehicle is tra velineI on a curve. A

A 'further object is to avoid undue strain on the reach or connection between the axles consequent upon any ot' the cai-rving-wheels i-tngzjajeriua' an obstruction or entering a ditch. .Mul a. 'further object is to insure the readv and easv turning;` ot' all the axles by zquidingi iuearns locked to either ot' the axles.

ln the. atfeoiiuiaiiyingeY drawing, Figure l is a plan view with the body of the vehicle removed. Fie. *2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. -ll shows a slight modification especially adapted tor duniping wagons where an open bottoni is re` quired,

Referring to the drawings. l designates the chas. e the pivoted stub-axles; 3 the 9 designates a crankshaft havnpitsleirf Ongi u 1- ings on the. chassis and extending nallvthereof. The depending crank arms.

j at the ends of the shafhnre connected by aio universal joints to the inner ends oflinks l7.

'flence2 as 'either pair of AStubfmrles is turned I ontneir pivots `the other axles Willbeturned inQ-the "opposite f directiomthe ritrovamenti-of, `Cine-pair of 'axles beingr communicated. to the` t ie instriinientality .oit'

the crank-shaft. In'v` this-'Way 'the carrying 'wheels'imay be shifted opposite directions tor turning` a curve, and to enable the vehiele to be nioved in reverse i'lirection.

'I`o outwardly projecting` arnis 1t) ot the stub-*axles l connect. h'v'niennsl o't universal joints, the ends ot a cross-hail l2 which is shown as curved outwarilly troni a direct line between its pivoted connectionsl to said arnis. These hails 'l2 carry racks 1.2% with which coupling' incuibers l=l are. designed to he locked. As' pointed out in niy application t'or patent tiled April 22. 12H3, Serial No. 762,825, he coupling members consistot hars which are pivoted at l to the chassis. at the longitudinal center thereof, and lach coupling; bur carriesl locking means for engaging: the respective rack 13. It is cus toniary, in trains of wheeled vehicles to loclg the coupling' ineniber to the forward end et each succeedingY vehicle, and, when it is desired to reverse the direction ot t `avel, the couplingf members are unlocked from one vehicle ot each pair and locked to the other or next adjacent vehicle, but inasmuch as this toi-ins the subject matter of my before, noted application further reference thereto is unnecessary. other than to say that while l have shown the vehicle as provided with a couplingy iaeuiber at each end only one of these nienibers is locked at a time to Such vehicle, the selection depending upon the direction ol travel. When the coupling inember which is locked to the vehicle is shifted laterally, as in turningr a curve,power is coinniunicated through bail 12 to the pivoted axles, causing such axles to turn on their pivots to shift the carrying Wheels, and the turning' ot' either pair of axles is, through the trames and crank-shaft, communicated to the other pair ol axles.

The outwardly bent bails l2 being flexibly connected to arms are free t-o rise and fall upon encountering obstructions in the road f'ityis' manifest that if .desired .the cross-bar of.. this frameend the lshorter ofy the two y ariins gniayhe omitted, sincetthe necessary ,'cofoction'betwecn complementary axles will be lei'ectecl throu litho connection rfox-ined .by

'the hail l2."y It1st,necesssrmfhowever,`to re` tain the other arm towfhich the link is connected. p i

In Fiff. 4r I have shown one of the features of my invention applied to a vehicle having centrally pivoted axles in lieu ot the stubaxles which latter are especially adapted for automobile construction. The crank shaft 9 is shown as located near one side of the chassis so as to leave an open bottom when required for dumping purposes. The links 7 are connected to trames 16 which latter are shown as secured to the respective axles at points near their outer ends, equal distances from their central pivots. These trames 1G are preferably fixedly secured to the axles, and in line therevvitl'i are outwardly projecting bars i7 Which carry the locking racks 13. According to the term shown in Fig. l the shitting ot either of the pivoted aides will be communicated to the other axle through the instrumentality ot the inwardly extending trames 16 and the crank shaft.

The advantages ot the present invention will be readily appreciated. It Will be noted that the single crank shaft constitutes a reach; that it serves to readily communicate movement.- between the axles, causing vthem to operate in unison; and that it may be employed with advantage in a vehicle having an open bottom dump. Itv Will also be noted that in those vehicles embodying pivoted stub-axles the two axles of each pair Will be caused to move uniformly, and that by connecting either axle to the crank shaft the shitting otboth axles ot each pair may beetlected.

I have shown, in most instances', ball-andsoclret connections between the various parts, and I prefer to use such construction, but it is manifest that other forms ot universal-joints may be employed, and likewise changes in the. details, construction and arrangement ot' parts may be made Without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wheeled vehicle having pivot-ed axles, trames extending inwardly from and connected to said axles, a crankshaft tending longitudinally of the vehicle and connected to said frames ,tor causing the axles to move in unison in opposite direc tions, and Iguiding .members projecting beyond the ends of the vehicle and capable of being locked to the pivoted axles.

Q. A Wheeled vehicle having pivoted axles, frames extending inwardly from and connerted'to said axles, guiding members projecting from the ends of the vehicle, locking members connected to the pivoted axles and to which said guiding members are designed to be locked, a. crankshaft extending longitudinally ot the vehicle, and means connecting said crank-shaft to said trames.

fl. A wheeled vehicle having pivoted ,stub-axles, means connecting the axles of each pair ot axles, a crank-shaft extending longitudinally ot the vehicle andv connected to one ot the axlesr of each pair of axles, and guiding members projecting beyond the ends ot the vehicle and capable of being locked to the pivotedA axles.

it A. Wheeled vehicle having pivoted stub-axlcs, outwardly extending' cross-members pivoted to opposite stub-axles, guiding members projecting from the ends of the vehicle, means for locking either guiding member to one of said ontwardly-extending members. and a crank-shaft extending longitudinally of the vehicle and connected at its ends to one stub-axle ot eachipair of axles.

5. A wheeled vehicle having pivoted stub-axles, outwardly extending cross-members pivoted to opposite stub-axles, guiding members projecting froml the ends of the vchicle,n1eans for locking either guiding member to one of said outwardly-extending members, said stub-axles having inwardly projecting arms, cross-rods connecting saidy arms of the axles of each pair, and a crankshaft extending longitudinally of the vehicleand connected at its ends to the inwardly extending arm of one axle of each pair.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of tivo subscribing witnesses. 'y

MARQUIS J. TODD.

IVitnesses:

FRANCIS S. MAGUiRE, MILDRED P. IMIRIE, 

